all rise

[self_composed]

No plea bargain is struck. The jury is picked, and Lucinda asks a few random ones whether they have accepted bribes and sees who looks nervous: no one, as it turns out, so she strikes people who are too young to have children and one fellow who looks like he hates the entire world for her picks. Paul strikes a grandmotherly type and someone who admits when asked that they don't think much of rich people.

"All rise," comes the command as Judge Roberts walks in.

Comments

[self_composed]

[I'd really rather you didn't make me explain you too much. You're kind of inexplicable. If you're just around sometimes I can say "he's my friend from high school who visits a lot, he visited me when I was recuperating from being hit by a car, y'know" but if you're trying to use my room as a base of operations for on-grid pranks that's a slightly different matter.]

[edgeofyourseat]

[I am very inexplicable,] he says happily. [But okay.] No baby bird deliveries to Bella's doorstep.

[self_composed]

[Very inexplicable indeed,] Bella says fondly. Pet pet pet.

[edgeofyourseat]

Awwwwww. Alice leans against the edge of her bed and indulges in some snuggly happy feelings.

[self_composed]

It's been enough of a long day that Bella goes ahead and dives into that tempting feedback loop.

Tomorrow there will be more things to do.

[edgeofyourseat]

Yes. For today, there are feeeeeeeeeeeelings.